Belgian Block and cobblestone are not the same, in case you were curious.  The word cobblestone comes from the blending of two words, cob and stone and originally referred to a rounded rock taken from rivers and used for street paving centuries ago.   (Read COBBLESTONE TRIVIA for more historical detail.)   Belgian Block has little or no affiliation with Belgium.  It  is a generic term from hundreds of years ago, given to the huge pieces of stone used for ballast on empty sailing ships, many sailing between the Netherlands/Belgium/Flanders and ports in America.

Cobblestone evolved from river rock, to painstakingly hand ‘trimmed’ and shaped rectangles and squares that have been used all over Europe – dating back to Roman times.  Monarch Stone International reclaims and  imports these beautiful authentic cobbles, the largest and most diverse antique collection you’ll find in the nation.  Visit Historic European Cobblestone, to view the many options we can provide.